The NHL Playoffs are upon us! Hereās all you need to know about watching your favourite team in the first round.
Now that the NHLās regular season has drawn to a close, fans are salivating at the prospect of a new yearās Stanley Cup Playoffs. Starting on Wednesday, April 12, 16 teams will be taking part in eight playoff series.
This yearās postseason features some very enticing matchups, including teams like the Edmonton Oilers making their return to the playoffs. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are back to defend their 2016 Stanley Cup championship, but theyāll have to get through the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets to do it.
Both sides of the bracket are jam-packed with Cup contenders, as the Chicago Blackhawks look to win yet another title, and teams like the San Jose Sharks andĀ Minnesota Wild remain in search of their first.
This yearās Canadian contingent is much stronger than last yearās, when not a single team from north of the border qualified. This season, teams like the Montreal Canadiens have a legitimate shot at challenging for the Stanley Cup.
Broadcasting for theĀ NHL Playoffs will be split acrossĀ NBC, NBCSN, USA, and the NHL Network in the United States, and Sportsnet and CBC in Canada.
Hereās the entire first-round TV schedule for the 2017 NHL Playoffs.
(All times EST)
SERIES A ā Montreal CanadiensĀ (A1) vs. New York Rangers (W1)
Game 1:Ā April 12 @ Montreal ā 7 pm ā NBCSN, CBC
Game 2: April 14Ā @ Montreal āĀ 7 pm ā USA, CBC
Game 3: April 16Ā @ New YorkĀ ā 7 pm ā NBCSN, Sportsnet
Game 4: April 18Ā @ New YorkĀ āĀ 7 pm ā NBCSN, CBC
*Game 5: April 20Ā @ Montreal ā TBD
*Game 6: April 22Ā @ New YorkĀ ā TBD
*Game 7:Ā April 24 @ Montreal āĀ TBD
SERIES B ā Ottawa SenatorsĀ (A2) vs. Boston BruinsĀ (A3)
Game 1: April 12 @ OttawaĀ āĀ 7 pm āĀ NHL Network, Sportsnet
Game 2: April 15 @ OttawaĀ āĀ 3 pm āĀ NBC, Sportsnet
Game 3: April 17 @ BostonĀ -7 pm ā CNBC, Sportsnet
Game 4: April 19 @ Boston āĀ 7:30 pm āĀ USA, Sportsnet
*Game 5: April 21 @ OttawaĀ āĀ TBD
*Game 6: April 23 @ BostonĀ ā TBD
*Game 7: April 26 @ OttawaĀ ā TBD
SERIES C ā Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Toronto Maple LeafsĀ (W2)
Game 1: April 13Ā @ WashingtonĀ āĀ 7 pm āĀ USA, CBC
Game 2: April 15Ā @ WashingtonĀ ā 7 pm āĀ NBCSN, CBC
Game 3:Ā April 17 @ TorontoĀ ā 7 pm āĀ NBCSN, CBC
Game 4: April 19 @ Toronto ā 7 pmĀ NBCSN, CBC
*Game 5:Ā April 21 @ WashingtonĀ ā TBD
*Game 6: April 23Ā @ Toronto ā TBD
*Game 7: April 25 @ WashingtonĀ āĀ TBD
SERIES D ā Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (M3)
Game 1:Ā April 12 @ PittsburghĀ āĀ 7:30 pm āĀ USA, Sportsnet 360
Game 2: April 14 @ Pittsburgh ā 7 pm āĀ NHL Network, Sportsnet
Game 3: April 16 @ Columbus ā 6 pm āĀ CNBC, Sportsnet 360
Game 4: April 18 @ Columbus ā 7:30 pm āĀ CNBC, Sportsnet 360
*Game 5: April 20 @ Pittsburgh āĀ TBD
*Game 6: April 23 @ Pittsburgh ā TBD
*Game 7: April 25 @ Pittsburgh āĀ TBD
SERIES E ā Chicago Blackhawks (C1) vs. Nashville PredatorsĀ (W2)
Game 1:Ā April 13@ Chicago āĀ 8 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet
Game 2: April 15 @ ChicagoĀ ā 8 pm āĀ NBC, Sportsnet
Game 3: April 17 @ NashvilleĀ ā 9:30 pm āĀ CNBC, Sportsnet One
Game 4: April 20 @ NashvilleĀ ā TBD āĀ Sportsnet 360
*Game 5: April 22 @ ChicagoĀ āĀ TBD
*Game 6: April 24 @ NashvilleĀ ā TBD
*Game 7: April 26 @ ChicagoĀ āĀ TBD
SERIES F ā Minnesota Wild (C2) vs.Ā St. Louis BluesĀ (C3)
Game 1: April 12Ā @ MinnesotaĀ āĀ 9:30 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet 360
Game 2: April 14 @ MinnesotaĀ -8 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet 360
Game 3: April 16 @Ā St. Louis ā 3 pm āĀ NBC, Sportsnet
Game 4: April 19 @Ā St. LouisĀ āĀ 9:30 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet 360
*Game 5: April 22 @ MinnesotaĀ āĀ TBD
*Game 6: April 24 @ St.LouisĀ ā TBD
*Game 7: April 26 @ MinnesotaĀ āĀ TBD
SERIES G ā Anaheim Ducks (P1) vs. Calgary FlamesĀ (W1)
Game 1: April 13 @ AnaheimĀ āĀ 10:30 pm āĀ NBCSN, CBC
Game 2: April 15 @ Anaheim ā 10:30 pm āĀ NBCSN, CBC
Game 3: April 17 @ Calgary ā 10 pm āĀ NBCSN, CBC
Game 4: April 19 @ CalgaryĀ ā 10 pm āĀ USA, CBC
*Game 5: April 21 @ AnaheimĀ āĀ TBD
*Game 6: April 23 @ CalgaryĀ ā TBD
*Game 7: April 25 @ AnaheimĀ āĀ TBD
SERIES H ā Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. San Jose Sharks (P3)
Game 1: April 12Ā @ EdmontonĀ āĀ 10 pm āĀ USA, Sportsnet
Game 2: April 14 @ EdmontonĀ ā 10:30 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet
Game 3: April 16 @ San JoseĀ āĀ 10 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet
Game 4: April 18 @ San Jose ā 10 pm āĀ NBCSN, Sportsnet
*Game 5: April 20 @ EdmontonĀ ā TBD
*Game 6: April 22 @ San JoseĀ ā TBD
*Game 7: April 24 @ EdmontonĀ ā TBD
* ā if necessary
Next: 5 reasons why the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be amazing
Be sure to stay tuned to FanSided.com throughout the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for the latest news, rumors and results.